Homelessness: housing benefit is a lifeline and minimum wage is too little

6th November 2014

80,000 young people are homeless every year. 15,000 young Londoners will be homeless this Christmas.

Seyi explains why housing benefit is necessary for the young poor struggling - yet presents a troubling quandary, saying "we are subsidising private landlords". He also tells Amol why he thinks minimum wage simply isn’t enough to survive off, especially for those under 21. Obakin supports the living wage and notes that "20% of young people who become homeless have to sleep rough."

Seyi explains that just over two thirds of young people Centrepoint speak with have become homeless because of family breakdown, noting that homelessness is a more complex issue than sleeping on the streets: "'if you are sleeping on a friends sofa you are homeless and life is destabilised." Accordingly, Centrepoint and like-minded charities work to provide support to families to help them stay together – either directly, or by aiding social workers.

The South London education charity, Football Beyond Borders says it's hoping to raise as much as 16 thousand pounds in a month, as part of plan to transform a derelict shop in Brixton, into a new youth centre.